Today’s match: Australia at Sri Lanka’s mercy
Aussies are still hurting from that mauling from Chris Gayle. Not sure, they have recovered from it. If Sanat Jayasuriya repeat’s the dose, they are out of it
All Lanka have to do is win the match or even if they lose, not lose by huge margin. If they opt for second they will have to win against West Indies. Having seen Gayle, they might not want to risk it.
Their captain Sangakkara, a huge fan of Roger Federer might be inspired after later won the French Open at last.
Australia has yet to come to terms with this format. They still think natural abilities of players will take them through. Yes with most of the teams on most of occasions. There will days like Oval too.
So, they need more people to put hands up and few Individuals to spark brightly too. This is an interesting game today.
Prediction: Sri Lanka to win in a close encounter.
England survive, Pakistan might not!
England is almost sure to get to next stage of T20 world cup. Pakistan might be in danger of taking the quick exit. Kind of game they played, no one will miss them.
Kind of statements the Pak skipper made, they are not confident of making it to next stages themselves.
“It would be sad if we don’t make it, but I have never attached too much importance to Twenty20 cricket, as it is fun cricket. I mean it is more for entertainment, even if it is international cricket. It is all for the crowd.’”
He was pointing fingers at his teammates. He could have kicked Salman Butt’s butt in private for sloppy fielding. Kamran Akmal was another one he brought out. It’s team game.
England showed character, very unlike Englishman. They did what was required of them. Batted well and bowled sensibly. Pakistan did an encore of England.
They dropped four catches; yes four. Gave away good 20 runs due to sloppy efforts in field. So, its not as if England played out of their skins but Pakistan were paying their hosts back.
Only Allah can help Pakistan to go through to super eight. No wonder Pakistan will say Insha Allah and claim Allah did not want them to play any more part in this silly tournament.
Roger Federer wins French Open!
Roger Federer won the French open dismissing the challenge from Robin Soderling in straight sets 6-1, 7-6, 6-4.
He became only the sixth man to achieve the career Grand Slam and equaled Pete Sampras’ record of 14 majors.
I am as good a Roger fan as you will get. I had a one of the best Sundays of my life. Sipping chilled beer and watching the best tennis player win record equaling grand slam is not on occasion that passes by every other Sunday.
With some hot Pakoda’s courtesy my lovely wife, it was getting better with each game. I am superstitious when it comes to Fedex. I stood whole of the third set coz, when I sat for briefest moments he was facing break points.
My father would have been a happy man. He liked Roger and Nadal both, unlike I. He liked Federer little more cause of the grace he had on court. It has been a Year and a week since he passed away. I wish Federer won it little earlier.
Watching Roger in full flight is sight for gods. Here he was playing everything he could think of and pulling it off in style. For me he always was the greatest player in the last 2 decades, that I have been watching tennis.
If anyone had any doubts they were dispelled in such emphatic manner. I wish this were start of a new Roger. I wish he cleaned up the blemish of not having dominated Nadal soon.
Go Roger Go!
Today’s matches!
Scotland Vs South Africa
This should be one-sided affair. Scotland gave a scare or two for New Zealand. South Africa is in a different league as a cricketing nation. They have too much firepower for Scots to overcome.
My money is safely on South Africa. Lest this will have to go down as one of the biggest upsets. England losing is not a big one.
Scots will give it one more shot. They did impress the cricket fans. If South Africa wins, they go to super eight stages along with New Zealand in this group.
One Sided win for South Africa.
England Vs Pakistan
England is playing Pakistan this evening. Any guess, who will win? England lost to a bunch of irregular cricket enthusiasts, who play cricket cause they are passionate about it.
Now they play Pakistan. It’s not as daunting as it used to be. Nonetheless they are formidable opponents. They have played less cricket and are keen to show case Pakistan cricket still exists.
England will lose this comfortably, unless of course Pakistan does not do an England encore. If Pakistan beat England, they along with Netherlands will go to super eight. Not a bad result for Netherlands.
Spare a thought for host nation England. They should get to host every international tournament of this stature. They play a true host ensuring guests are kept happy.
Pakistan win or you might say England loss.
Anil Kumble follows Ganguly into commentary box
Anil Kumble has joined ESPN star sports commentary team as expert analyst following Sourav Ganguly. He is the second Indian in last two weeks to have moved behind microphone.
Anil is one of the shrewd brains was never in doubt. How he led Bangalore Challengers to final of IPL second edition is history. Commentary, whatever said and done is a different ball game.
Anil puts in 100% to everything that he does. He will try to learn all the nuances quickly and present things in his own way.
Harsha Bogle, Ian Bishop, Ian Chappel and Nasser Hussain will smoothen the transition. I heard him during India’s match against Bangladesh. He was over doing praising the role of spinners. He will improve with few outings, am sure.
To be a successful commentator you need to be impartial. Not present the Indian / your country’s point of view. It’s hard. Having just retired from cricket. That’s challenge against Anil.
He will hopefully master it, like he did master the unorthodox leg spin.
Good Luck Anil.
India move to Super Eight!
India by winning their first match of Twenty20 world cup has moved to super eight. They were under bit pressure at different stages of the matches. Still were too much for Bangladesh sums up the story.
Few gross errors were made. They would have haunted Dhoni if they had lost the match. Promoting himself at no 3 was one. Gautam Gambhir not getting a move on could have costly.
Dhoni’s move of coming at 3 ahead of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj was wrong. India won so did not matter much. Gambhir has not been playing well in this format for a while. He did not up the ante and found difficult to score against spinners.
India was in a bit of hole at 15 over mark. It was Yuvraj who smote few sixes and got India to a safe total. Had it not been for him, England would have had some company. Superb bowling by debutant Ojha was highlight of the match.
Zaheer is yet to recover completely. Gambhir has to find his touch soon. Dhoni better let Suresh Raina and Yuvaraj bat ahead of him.
They need to get better from here on to repeat 2007.
New Zealand have narrow escape!
Unlike England, New Zealand escaped with a narrow win against Scotland. This game showed us why Twenty20 is probably the best bet for minnows. It’s the only format where they have high chances of upstaging better teams.
Now this one was not even twenty over match. It was reduced to seven due to rain. ICC plans its tours and mega events with such a detail. They must be credited for planning this event in this time in England.
Scots made use of the reduced match to hit out to score 89 of allotted seven overs. It would have been interesting to see how New Zealand would have coped without the start that they got. One good over at the start would have changed it all.
Brendon McCullum, put all his failures in IPL and went berserk. Ryder and Taylor followed the suit. New Zealand were home with an over to spare. They also spared themselves of horrid times that England are facing.
Scotland did not field well. Had they taken Oram’s catch and stopped few boundaries, they would have been taken a big scalp. They will win a match once in a while. For that they got to take their chances
Australia blown away by Gayle !
Australia were blown away by Chris Gayle. 169 on any ground is not a easy score to chase. Chris had different ideas. Before Aussies new what hit them, it was over.
Gayle hit six fours and six sixes. That means 60 runs in 12 balls. West India won with four overs to spare was not amusing at all. Gayle, when is in mood is destructive.
He was here after getting lot of flak for his comments, rightly so. He ,chooses his day and opponents to make a statement. I care for T20 and that’s where my strengths could best put to use.
Australia’s bowling was torn to pieces. Why Bret Lee got to bowl all four overs. Ponting did not explain it. Hopes controlled things but by then West Indies were gone far away!
West Indies are through to next phase unless they lose to Sri Lanka by huge margin and there is tie with each team winning one match.
So, with one innings Chris Gayle has taken his team to next stage. That’s twenty20 for you.
Gayle keep them coming.
Ganguly: in Commentary box !
Sourav Ganguly is all set to begin a new innings behind the microphone. He has been signed by ESPN STAR Sports as an expert analyst for the ICC World Twenty20.
Ganguly will join likes of Ian Chappell, Ian Bishop, Wasim Akram, Sanjay Manjrekar, Harsha Bhogle and Nasser Hussain.
Interesting fact is, he will start from semifinal stage. ESPN has reasoned that Ganguly’s analysis and his understanding of the modern day game will add new dimension to commentary box.
How he will take on Ian Chappel, Nasser Hussain and Wasim would be the more interesting. Am sure his chemistry with Aussies will work wonders here.
"I look forward to interviewing my erstwhile teammates. I am very excited about my new role as the ICC World Twenty20 is the biggest event for an analyst like me and I look forward to the semi-finals and the final where I will be commencing my stint with ESS,"
Ganguly said.
Sourav is smooth talker; there are few more things that are needed in commentary box. Hope he learns quickly.
Hope he gives some break from monotonous noises that Ravi and his colleagues have been pouring on us over years.
BCCI – stalls Sri Lanka tour
You could see this coming. It took a while, but it has come. Indian Cricket Board has stalled all forthcoming tours to Sri Lanka. Also its withdrawing the $40 million aid to Sri Lankan cricket board.
Sri Lanka cricket board officials made some hostile comments towards BCCI. Sri Lanka will not be able to send a full strength team on tour of England in next year in May. IPL clashes with this tour.
Arjuna Ranatunga has made comments that BCCI is trying to buy out the Sri Lankan board by offering the aid.
There are times when you have to bide your time. Even greatest nations bide their time. Uncle SAM still rules the world. So does Uncle SAM of cricket world “BCCI” rules it now.
If you go against them, it’s at your own peril. If I were Sri Lankan board, i would smooth talk my way out than making hostile comments. They are already in financial crisis. Only BCCI can help them.